I loved this!! I don't read middle grade books that often, and the ones I do are usually ones I grew up with. I loved the sound of this book, and I'm so happy that I can honestly say it was a fantastic read! The pacing is just perfect, giving us a gradual buildup and then full steam ahead. Tor and his friends were extremely relatable, and I have no doubt that readers will fall in love with them. While Tor is our male MC, I can say that anyone will enjoy him as our protagonist. I adored this book, and I'll be picking up a physical hardback for sure!

An amazing adventure full of imagery. I could see everything; the beautiful colors, flora and fauna. Three friends embark on a quest and learn their strengths and weaknesses while learning to depend on each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

This is a book based on the author's Colombian heritage, and the stories that her abuela used to tell her. Set in the fantastical world of Emblem Island, it's an adventure that will appeal to kids who love a quest to right a wrongdoing, where the stakes are life or death.

Tor Luna, like his mother before him, is destined to be a leader. He was born with the leadership emblem marked on his skin, but it's not the destiny he wants. On a special New Year's Eve ceremony, he wishes for a different mark, but instead, receives a curse that leaves him with one week left to live. Tor Luna and his friends must travel to find the Night Witch and have the curse removed before time runs out. Along the way they meet monsters, beasts, and encounter challenges that require cunning and bravery.

I would recommend Curse of the Night Witch to kids who like the Rick Riordan Presents books, stories based on cultures that we too seldom see represented in middle grade fiction. The story is fast-paced, the stakes are high, and characters use their individual strengths to face the challenges before them. This is the first book in the series, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

This is the start of, one assumes, a new middle grade fantasy series set on an island where everyone is born in a birthmark (called an emblem) that indicates what their unique gift will be. This particular novel focuses on Tor who was born with a leadership emblem but wishes it away in favor of a water-breathing emblem only to be cursed instead. His curse transmits to two of his classmates and in short order all three are racing across the island and dodging previously thought to be mythical monsters and searching for the legendary Night Witch. This particular volume is suitable for middle grades, but I suspect future ones may not be given the nature of the cliffhanger at the conclusion of the novel.